Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Iain Stewart and Duncan Baker

Wednesday 16th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Iain Stewart]

I can tell the hon. Gentleman that we are prioritising upgrades to roads such as the A75 through Dumfries and Galloway, which will be one of the key transport routes connecting Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.

[Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to level up communities across Scotland.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Iain Stewart)]

The benefits of the transformative levelling-up agenda have already been realised following round 1 of the levelling-up fund. Eight Scottish projects are receiving a share of £171 million, which will help to create jobs, boost training and grow productivity. Round 2 of the fund will open in spring in addition to another major funding mechanism, the UK shared prosperity fund.

[Duncan Baker]

What levelling-up plans are there specifically for the rural areas of Scotland, so that from the Outer Hebrides to Orkney, the highlands to the lowlands, the whole of Scotland can benefit?

[Iain Stewart]

All parts of Scotland will receive a share of the UK shared prosperity fund, which will provide £2.6 billion of new funding by March 2025 through an allocation rather than a competition. Additionally, the levelling-up White Paper includes the creation of a new islands forum, which will bring together local leaders from island communities across the UK to share challenges and experiences directly with the UK Government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Iain Stewart and Duncan Baker

Wednesday 3rd November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con)]

4. What steps the Government are taking to support the Scottish seed potato industry.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Iain Stewart)]

This Government are continuing to work collaboratively with counterparts in the devolved Administrations on issues affecting seed potato growers. We remain in close contact with the main industry bodies and we continue to press the European Commission to allow imports of our high-class seed potatoes.

[Duncan Baker]

The EU continues to block seed potato exports into Europe. It offers no reciprocal trading arrangements and that is harming not only the vital industry in Scotland, but my growers, Solana Seeds, in North Norfolk. Will my hon. Friend agree to meet me to explain the situation further and what we are doing to rectify this problem?

[Iain Stewart]

I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend. I can tell him that an application has been submitted to the EU to lift the restrictions, based on recognising GB seed potato requirements as equivalent, and is being pursued at both a political and a technical level. We remain committed to finding a solution to allow exports to resume and will continue to press our case with the Commission. In the meantime, the temporary authorisation that allowed imports of seed potatoes from the EU expired on 30 June.